2:6a
But: The word But connects the preceding statement in 2:5 with a quotation (2:6b–8) from Scripture. This quotation agrees with what 2:5 says and supports it. In some languages a word like But may be confusing here. If that is true in your language, some other ways to translate the connection between 2:5 and 2:6 are:
• Use a word or phrase that introduces a supporting statement. For example:
For (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
In fact
• Do not use a conjunction. For example, the Revised Standard Version begins 2:6 with the statement itself:
It has been testified somewhere (Revised Standard Version)
Translate the connection between 2:5 and 2:6 in a natural way in your language.
somewhere it is testified: This clause refers to a quotation from the OT Scriptures. The verb is testified implies here that God inspired someone to write it, and that person affirmed that it is true. The general term somewhere does not imply that the author did not know the particular book of the Scriptures where the quote is found.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
For somewhere in the Scriptures it says (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
that is the meaning of what God caused to be written, which says:
-or-
Somewhere in the Scriptures someone says to God (Contemporary English Version)
You may want to use the term for “Scriptures” that you have used in other verses in the NT.
somewhere: The word somewhere refers here to a part of the Scriptures. In some languages it is helpful to include your word or phrase for the Scriptures. For example:
in the Holy Book
it is testified: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as it is testified means to solemnly declare the truth about something. The author used this verb to indicate the truth and importance of the part of Scripture that he was about to quote. It does not imply that it was used as a testimony in court.
Some other ways to translate the verb are:
has declared (God’s Word)
-or-
There is…this solemn assurance (Revised English Bible)
Verses 2:6b–8a are a quotation from Psalm 8:4–6. If you use footnotes in your translation, you can put the reference in a footnote.
2:6b–c
The words in 2:6b–c are a quotation from Psalm 8:5. In that psalm, 8:5 is part of a longer prayer to God. In 8:2 the psalmist addressed God directly as Lord. Here in Hebrews, it may be helpful to make explicit that the person is praying to God. For example:
Lord, what is man…
-or-
What are human beings, O God (Good News Translation)
In the Greek text the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “man” is also singular.
What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him: The words in 2:6b–c are a quotation from Psalm 8, which is Hebrew poetry. The quotation begins with two rhetorical questions that have the same meaning. In the example below, the parts that are similar in meaning are marked in similar ways:
6b What is man, that you are mindful of him,
6c or the son of man, that you care for him?
The question in 2:6c has an ellipsis. The phrase What is from 2:6b is also implied in 2:6c. In some languages it may be necessary to make it explicit in 2:6c. For example:
6c
⌊ what is⌋a human being that you care for him?
In some languages it will be more natural to combine these two questions into one. For examples of how these quotations can be combined, see the General Comment on 2:6b–c at the end of 2:6c.
2:6b
What is man that You are mindful of him: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise that God should be concerned about a human being at all. Some ways to translate this surprise are:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
What makes you care about a human being?
-or-
Does a man have any status/importance? ⌊No,⌋ so what causes you to care for him?
• As a statement or exclamation. For example:
⌊ I cannot understand⌋why a human being is important to you!
Translate this surprise in a way that is natural in your language.
man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as man means “human being.” The word is singular. It can refer to a single human being or to mankind in general (both male and female). Some scholars believe that the author used this singular form because he intended to be ambiguous. He wanted to use a word that could refer either to the Son of Man as Messiah (Jesus) or to human beings in general.
If it is possible in your language to be ambiguous in that way here, that is a good choice. In some languages that may not be natural or it may imply a wrong meaning. If that is true in your language, you may use a plural form like “human beings,” as in the New Revised Standard Version. The form should include both the author and the readers. Use appropriate forms in 2:7–8 also.
that You are mindful of him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mindful means “remember.” When it is used about God remembering a person or persons, it implies that he remembers them in order to help and care for them.
Some other ways to translate that You are mindful of him are:
that you think of him (NET Bible)
-or-
that you are concerned for him
You: The pronoun You refers to God. The psalmist was speaking to God, so he used a singular form of You.
2:6c
or the son of man that You care for him: In Greek this clause is more literally “or son of (a) human-being that you care for him.” Like 2:6b, it is also a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise and has the same meaning as 2:6b. Be sure that you have read the note on 2:6b–c before you read the rest of this note.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
What is a mortal that you should remember him… (God’s Word)
• As a statement. For example:
⌊ I am amazed⌋that you are concerned about mankind
-or-
⌊ I⌋do not know/understand why you care for a ⌊mere⌋ human being.
Translate the clause in 2:6c in the way that is natural in your language for expressing surprise. See the General Comment on 2:6b–c at the end of 2:6c for ways to combine the parts of this verse.
the son of man: In this context, the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the son of man can refer to any human being and it can refer specifically to the Messiah. It indicates that the author wondered why God concerned himself with a human being. A human seems unimportant compared to God. In some languages it is possible to use the same key term for son of man here that you used in the Gospels.
Other ways to translate the son of man here are:
human being
-or-
person
that You care for him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as care for means “be concerned about, show concern for.” Other ways to translate the clause are:
that you notice him
-or-
that you take good care of him
General Comment on 2:6b–c
The two questions in 2:6b and 2:6c are quoted from Hebrew poetry. It is common in Hebrew poetry for an author to use similar statements to emphasize his meaning. The rhetorical questions in 2:6b and 2:6c are very similar in meaning. In some languages it will be more natural to combine these two questions into one.
Some ways that you can combine these two questions are:
Why do you think about or care about a human being?
-or-
What is a human being that you should be concerned about him?
-or-
Why should you care about a human being?
However, the author probably interprets Psalm 8 to be speaking of the Messiah, as well as of human beings.
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